she’d flirted right back.
She’d kissed him once out behind her barn. A tiny thing, she’d barely come up to his shoulders. He’d had to bend down to return her gesture, and she’d been stretched up on tiptoe.
That night, he’d gone with the boys and gotten drunk again.
And the next morning, he’d caught word that she was engaged to another man. A man he knew she felt no real warm affection for. She’d burned for him the same way he’d burned for her, and he’d been stupid. He stayed stupid, and Greta had married the man, all the while never taking her eyes off Bill, as if daring him to make a stand for her.
Then she’d gotten the fever, and died, leaving her husband a widow and Bill a mess. He’d drank more, and woke up one morning lying in the dirt by her still-fresh grave.
Greta would have wanted better for him.
She’d expected better.
Ever since that day, he’d vowed to do better.
And now, with Emma so close to him, it felt like he had a chance to right a wrong from long ago. A woman he burned for burned for him right back, and he wouldn’t step aside, nor turn a blind eye. He would kiss her any time she wanted to be kissed, go wherever she needed or wanted him to—be it Cricket Bend, the ends of the earth, or heaven or hell.
“Heads up,” Saul called as he passed Bill riding back to the wagon. “Pa and Appie are having it out.”
It was never a good sign when Appie and his Pa were face to face, talking animatedly about something. As Bill rode up for the mid-day break, he smiled at the sight of Emma happy to see him, but his smile faded as his Pa stormed off, mounting his horse and riding away, and Appie scowled after him.
“Your pa won’t listen to reason,” Appie complained.
“He rarely does.” Andrew smirked.
Bill gave him a silencing look. “What’s he doing now?”
Appie sighed like a man fighting a battle he’d fought before. “I told him the trail around the pass was easier, but no. He wants to go through it, so through it we’re going.”
“The pass?” Bill asked. “Why would we do that?”
Appie looked up to the heavens. “Thank you. Glad one man around here has some sense.”
“What’s the pass?” Emma asked.
“There’s a range of hills ahead,” Bill explained. “We usually cut to the east and avoid them by taking a flatter trail. It adds a day or two, but it’s safe passage. The pass through the hills is rocky, and it’s hard at night because the moon is blocked a good deal of the time.”
“So, it’s a bad idea.” Emma nodded.
“A very bad idea.”
“Then why does your pa want to do it?”
“Hell if I know. Andrew, get the others.”
The McKenzie boys gathered a little while later, off away from the group. The other hands knew something was up, but most were experienced enough trail riders to know that sometimes things were none of their business. Pete and Jess arrived first, and Saul followed a few minutes later once he’d settled the horses. Straggling to the group last, of course, was Andrew.
“Pa wants to go through the pass,” Bill sighed. “Appie says there ain’t no talking him out of it.”
“That’s the most dangerous way, by far,” Pete argued.
“You don’t have to tell me,” Bill answered. “But he’s set on it, says it’ll save a few days.”
“But how many head will we lose?” Jess asked.
“I’ll try and talk to Pa,” Bill promised. “But you know as well as I do that he won’t listen.”
“Once we get through—provided we get through—you taking off?” Pete asked. “You heading to Cricket Bend?”
Bill nodded. “It’s where she needs to go. And it’s not like any of you can go in my place. Jess’ll be in charge while I’m gone.”
“Ma’d like her.” Pete laughed a little. “Shame she’ll be long gone by the time we get home. I know Pa’s smarting over having her here, but it’s nice to see a pretty face. Other than Andrew’s, of course.”
“Shut up.” Andrew pushed his hat
She’d kissed him once out behind her barn. A tiny thing, she’d barely come up to his shoulders. He’d had to bend down to return her gesture, and she’d been stretched up on tiptoe.
That night, he’d gone with the boys and gotten drunk again.
And the next morning, he’d caught word that she was engaged to another man. A man he knew she felt no real warm affection for. She’d burned for him the same way he’d burned for her, and he’d been stupid. He stayed stupid, and Greta had married the man, all the while never taking her eyes off Bill, as if daring him to make a stand for her.
Then she’d gotten the fever, and died, leaving her husband a widow and Bill a mess. He’d drank more, and woke up one morning lying in the dirt by her still-fresh grave.
Greta would have wanted better for him.
She’d expected better.
Ever since that day, he’d vowed to do better.
And now, with Emma so close to him, it felt like he had a chance to right a wrong from long ago. A woman he burned for burned for him right back, and he wouldn’t step aside, nor turn a blind eye. He would kiss her any time she wanted to be kissed, go wherever she needed or wanted him to—be it Cricket Bend, the ends of the earth, or heaven or hell.
“Heads up,” Saul called as he passed Bill riding back to the wagon. “Pa and Appie are having it out.”
It was never a good sign when Appie and his Pa were face to face, talking animatedly about something. As Bill rode up for the mid-day break, he smiled at the sight of Emma happy to see him, but his smile faded as his Pa stormed off, mounting his horse and riding away, and Appie scowled after him.
“Your pa won’t listen to reason,” Appie complained.
“He rarely does.” Andrew smirked.
Bill gave him a silencing look. “What’s he doing now?”
Appie sighed like a man fighting a battle he’d fought before. “I told him the trail around the pass was easier, but no. He wants to go through it, so through it we’re going.”
“The pass?” Bill asked. “Why would we do that?”
Appie looked up to the heavens. “Thank you. Glad one man around here has some sense.”
“What’s the pass?” Emma asked.
“There’s a range of hills ahead,” Bill explained. “We usually cut to the east and avoid them by taking a flatter trail. It adds a day or two, but it’s safe passage. The pass through the hills is rocky, and it’s hard at night because the moon is blocked a good deal of the time.”
“So, it’s a bad idea.” Emma nodded.
“A very bad idea.”
“Then why does your pa want to do it?”
“Hell if I know. Andrew, get the others.”
The McKenzie boys gathered a little while later, off away from the group. The other hands knew something was up, but most were experienced enough trail riders to know that sometimes things were none of their business. Pete and Jess arrived first, and Saul followed a few minutes later once he’d settled the horses. Straggling to the group last, of course, was Andrew.
“Pa wants to go through the pass,” Bill sighed. “Appie says there ain’t no talking him out of it.”
“That’s the most dangerous way, by far,” Pete argued.
“You don’t have to tell me,” Bill answered. “But he’s set on it, says it’ll save a few days.”
“But how many head will we lose?” Jess asked.
“I’ll try and talk to Pa,” Bill promised. “But you know as well as I do that he won’t listen.”
“Once we get through—provided we get through—you taking off?” Pete asked. “You heading to Cricket Bend?”
Bill nodded. “It’s where she needs to go. And it’s not like any of you can go in my place. Jess’ll be in charge while I’m gone.”
“Ma’d like her.” Pete laughed a little. “Shame she’ll be long gone by the time we get home. I know Pa’s smarting over having her here, but it’s nice to see a pretty face. Other than Andrew’s, of course.”
“Shut up.” Andrew pushed his hat
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